John A. Catsimatidis managed his cousin's grocery store while attending New York University, and in 1971 bought a small grocery store on Manhattan's Upper West Side and named it Red Apple. This one store became the cornerstone of Catsimatidis' empire. He now owns 100% of Gristede's Supermarkets and all the other divisions making up the Red Apple Group. Subsidiary United Refining, which processes crude oil, distributes fuel to its Country Fair, Red Apple Food Marts, and Kwik Fill gas stations and convenience stores in New York, Pennsylvania and Ohio. The Red Apple Group also has real estate holdings in New York, New Jersey and Florida; an aircraft leasing business; and publishes the Hellenic Times newspaper.